The Chicago Cubs play against the Cincinnati Reds in an MLB game tonight. Fans can watch this game for free online.

Michael Soroka fired a fastball to Reds catcher Tyler Stephenson in the second inning on Monday night and felt something grab in his right shoulder. The new Cubs starter – making his debut for the clu

Cubs starting pitcher Michael Soroka leaves the game after the second inning.

Chicago Cubs pitcher Michael Soroka departed after the second inning Monday against the Cincinnati Reds due to right shoulder discomfort.

What makes it even more concerning is that the Cubs knew Soroka had experienced a slight dip in his velocity in his starts leading up to the trade deadline. Soroka underwent an MRI just to rule out anything problematic, with all of the results coming back clean.

The Chicago Cubs entered the MLB trade deadline with one clear goal in mind, and unfortunately, they did not meet it. Which has led to Levi Weaver of The Athletic (subscription required) describing their deadline in one word that fans will be disappointed to read: “timid.

The Chicago Cubs pulled off a narrow series win over the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday, thanks to a walk-off homer from Justin Turner. But that late-game heroics couldn’t cover up a growing concern: Chicago’s trade deadline inaction is already proving costly.